Disney and Fubo Finalize Deal, Creating Sixth-Largest Pay TV Company in the U.S.

16 days ago in "Hulu"

Posted: Wednesday October 29, 2025 8:45am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

FuboTV Inc. and The Walt Disney Company have finalized their previously announced deal to combine Fubo's operations with Disney's Hulu + Live TV business, forming a new player in the live television streaming market.

A New vMVPD With 6 Million Subscribers

The combined company will rank as the sixth-largest pay-TV provider in the United States, with nearly 6 million subscribers across North America. Together, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will offer more than 55,000 live sporting events and a wide range of entertainment programming.

Two Services, One Ownership Structure

Despite the merger, both Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue operating as separate services:

Hulu + Live TV will remain available within the Hulu app and continue to be part of the entertainment bundle that includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited.
Fubo will continue to operate independently through its existing app, focusing on its sports-first live streaming approach.

Strategic Benefits and Synergies

The companies expect to realize operational efficiencies and cost savings through improved content packaging, advertising optimization, and marketing collaboration. As part of the deal, Disney has committed to provide Fubo with a $145 million term loan in 2026 to support growth and integration.

Leadership Comments

Andy Bird, the newly appointed Chairman of the Board for Fubo, said, "Today's announcement brings together two industry-leading brands and a compelling set of resources that uniquely position us to meet the evolving needs of today's consumer."

Fubo Co-founder and CEO David Gandler added, "Together with Disney, we're creating a more flexible streaming ecosystem that gives consumers greater choice while driving profitability and sustainable growth."

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MisterPenguin8 days ago

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1484769/000095015725000917/xslSCHEDULE_13D_X01/primary_doc.xml

Phroobar8 days ago

1. $45.99 for the first month, then $55.99 per month. 2. $54.99 for the first month, then $84.99 per month. 3. $74.99 for the first month, then $104.99 per month. 4. $9.99 for the first month, then $14.99 per month. Ahh, no.

MisterPenguin10 days ago

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/fubo-subscribers-disneys-hulu-merger-1236416568/

gsansone10 days ago

Buy up competition. Let it twist in the wind. Fubo is wildly overpriced.

gsansone10 days ago

Fubo is ridiculously overpriced. Nearly had a heart attack when I saw their rates.

Hawkeye_201815 days ago

I bet Fubo doesn't even exist 3 years from now

MisterPenguin15 days ago

I've got ten thousand francs on the steward from Algiers.

monothingie15 days ago

Like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

MisterPenguin15 days ago

This seems like a short-term assurance of no interruption of service. The apps and streamers remain doing what they're doing, and one can bundle as one pleases. For now. The original plan, which may or may not still be 'the plan,' is for "Hulu+Live" to be subsumed into Fubo; just like the "Hulu" service is being subsumed into Disney+. The companies' deals are done. Now, to make the changes to the streaming apps, which was said previously, to take place in 2026.

Disney Irish16 days ago

You include it because you want to assure your current customers that there is no disruption of service. And then next year you have another announcement that says that the old app will be phased out in favor of a new better combined Fubo/HuluLiveTV app.

Kamikaze16 days ago

The bolded is such a weird thing to include when the Hulu app is going away in a matter of months. They should have at least mentioned that Hulu is transitioning into the Disney+ app.

DCBaker16 days ago

Disney says the deal is complete: FuboTV Inc. and The Walt Disney Company today announced they have closed the previously announced transaction to combine Fubo’s business with Disney’s Hulu + Live TV business. The newly combined Fubo and Hulu + Live TV business creates a truly unique virtual MVPD (vMVPD) and the sixth largest Pay TV company in the U.S with nearly 6 million subscribers in North America. The combined company offers consumers a broad set of sports, including more than 55,000 live sporting events, and entertainment-focused programming offerings from Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. Fubo and Hulu + Live TV will continue to be available to consumers as separate and distinct services, each offering consumers multiple plan options from skinny to robust at compelling price points. Hulu + Live TV will continue to be streamed in the Hulu app and offered as part of an entertainment-focused bundle with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. Fubo will continue to serve viewers in the Fubo app. The combined business expects to realize cost, revenue and operational synergies through content cost savings achieved by more flexible programming packaging, advertising optimization and sales and marketing opportunities. The combined company will have access to a $145 million term loan that Disney has committed to provide Fubo in 2026 as part of the Transaction. “It is a privilege to join Fubo as Chairman at such a transformative time for the company,” said Andy Bird, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Today’s announcement brings together two industry leading brands and a compelling set of resources that uniquely position us to meet the evolving needs of today’s consumer.” “Since Fubo’s founding a decade ago, our vision has always been to build a consumer-first streaming platform defined by innovation and value,” said David Gandler, Co-founder and CEO of Fubo. “Together with Disney, we’re creating a more flexible streaming ecosystem that gives consumers greater choice, while driving profitability and sustainable growth. We’re also proud to reward our retail shareholders who have supported Fubo’s mission from the very beginning. We believe this combination delivers the scale, stability and strategic clarity to create lasting value for consumers and shareholders, and indelibly impact the future of live streaming.” Full release at link below: https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/fubo-hulu-live-tv/